"Your highness, Your highness…please wake up."
Aldric stirred in his sleep, an irritated expression covering his face. Currently, he was experiencing a beautiful dream, the dream of riding on top of a large, white, majestic hawk in the blue sky.
The only irritating thing was the alarm, disturbing his rest.
"Please wake up, your highness!"
Aldric tossed and turned his body away from the noise, but the noise didn't disappear, it actually proceeded to get louder.
Irritated beyond doubt, Aldric moved his hands to slap the alarm shut. The alarm had been more annoying than usual, taking on the soft tone of a young woman.
Slap!
'Why does the alarm feel softer than usual?' Aldric thought, a frown forming on his face as his eyes snapped open to examine what he had touched.
*Muffled crying*
Aldric's eyes snapped open, immediately taking in the furniture around him. His familiar cramped room was gone, so was his small desk, and the wall that was filled with cracks. Instead, he found himself on a large, royal bed, adored with all kinds of beautiful designs.
The room was enormous, with glamorous chandeliers and…a young woman clutching her red cheek.
"Your highness…sniff." The young woman whispered, her eyes red, on the verge of crying out a river.
"Wait…what?"
'Am I dreaming? But I woke up from that beautiful dream…ouch.' Aldric thought, pinching himself.
His eyes returned to the young woman who was looking at him with a pained expression. She had bright doe eyes, the colour of hazelnuts. Her hair was light brown, cascading down her head, reaching her buttocks.
"Um…sorry about that slap. Also, who are you? Aldric spoke, feeling guilty about slapping the young woman, but also confused about the entire situation.
He didn't know why such a beautiful lady was currently standing over his bed. Neither did he know in who's room he was, it didn't strike him as a hospital room, it appeared more medieval than modern.
Before the young woman could respond, a series of memories began to surface, making Aldric clutch his head in pain.
"Agh!!" He couldn't help but shout, thousands of needles puncturing his skull at the same time.
The young woman's face immediately grew serious, no longer showing any signs of pain.
She hurriedly placed her hand on his forehead. "Your highness…you have a fever, I will call the royal physician immediately!" She shouted, scurrying out of the room, sweat beads forming on her forehead from the great crisis that befell her.
The pain subsided a few seconds after 'Matila' had left the room.
Aldric's identity was that of the 7th prince of the Kingdom of Anthropos. Aldric Thropos, the prince that had a name identical to Aldric, had been sent here to govern the region from the terror of beasts.
This world was besieged by ferocious beasts that had suddenly begun to emerge. Millions of people had died due to the sudden emergence of these beasts, falling prey to their sharp claws, and fangs.
Thankfully, the humans were given powers, powers to control these beasts, they were known as beast tamers. They were celebrities of this world, given status, money and power.
As for Aldric Thropos? He had failed to contract a single beast, even the weakest kind that could barely defeat normal humans.
'I cannot tame beasts…this is troublesome.' Aldric frowned, understanding that he was now in a completely different world.
At this point, Aldric was convinced he was no longer in a dream. No dream was this detailed or specific after all.
The thought of travelling through time emerged in Aldric's mind initially, but after learning about the beasts, and beast tamers, that thought was rejected immediately.
He had travelled to a world that represented medieval Europe, and have become a prince overnight.
Based on his memories, the territory he had been granted by his bed-ridden father was barren and backward. The worst kind of territory to govern due to its low resources, and threats of beasts on the borders of wastelands.
Wastelands were lands that were controlled by beasts, no average humans dared to venture there, understanding that only death awaited them.
"This old fart. How could he place his youngest son in such a terrifying place, especially when he couldn't tame beasts?! I hope you stay bedridden till you die." Aldric cursed the king softly as he stood up from his bed.
The king had sent his seven children to various parts of the kingdom, testing their capabilities for inheritance due to his declining health. In this world, the first prince didn't get the privilege to inherit the kingdom due to his age, rather only someone who was able to prove himself as the most capable of taking over the kingdom could.
Whilst it sounded amazing in theory, a major problem existed in the actual implementation. His children had all been placed at different parts of the kingdom, some given territories much more favourable than the others.
The biggest proof of failure was Aldric himself. He was a normal human placed in one of the most barren territories possible. His starting territory was horrendous, the worst out of his seven brothers.
'It seems like the king wanted to get rid of the useless child without feeling too harsh about it.' Aldric reasoned internally before sounds of two footsteps began to emerge—
"He is over here, he just started crying like a little bab–" Matilda's voice caught in her throat as her eyes widened, staring at the young prince who was staring at her with raised eyebrows.
"Crying like what now?" Aldric's mouth twitched, staring at his personal maid who brought the royal physician over.
"Y-Your highness…physician, check on him, hurry!" She gently pushed the physician forward, a middle aged man with a soft smile on his face.
"His highness appears well, but we should check anyway. May I? Your highness?" The physician asked, looking at Aldric.
Aldric nodded his head. Although he felt well, it didn't hurt to get checked upon, just in case there was any underlying health conditions that happened after he entered this body.
'I wonder how he will check my body? I don't see him holding anything, and western medicine and equipment doesn't exist at this place.' His eyes surveyed the physician who made him lay down on the bed once again.
Poof!
A small tree suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and began to move its branches, shocking Aldric. 'Right…there are healing pets too…'
Aldric grew excited but also slightly scared. It was his first time coming in contact with such magical creatures, he'd been a normal human till minutes ago.
"Relax your highness, my druid won't hurt you. It will be quick." The physician gently reassured Aldric.
A green halo began to surround Aldric as the druid worked his magic by simply tightening a branch around Aldric's wrist.
When a minute passed, the physician's reaction changed dramatically. "Your highness, this–"